FLUIDIC LENS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20110051255A1
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHOI, Seung-tae, LEE, Jeong-yub, LEE, Seung-wan
• Granted Patent: US 8,427,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/666
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length

Abstract

A fluidic lens and method for manufacturing the same are provided. The fluidic lens includes a transparent optical fluid and a double elastomer membrane. An outer membrane of the double elastomer membrane that is externally exposed includes a Poly DiMethyl Siloxane (PDMS) elastomer, and an inner membrane of the double elastmoer membrane that makes contact with the optical fluid is transparent and includes an elastomer which has a low coherence with respect to the optical fluid.

Claims

1. A fluidic lens comprising:

a transparent optical fluid; and

a membrane comprising;

an inner membrane comprising a transparent elastomer, and

an outer membrane comprising a Poly DiMethyl Siloxane (PDMS) elastomer,

wherein a coherence of the inner membrane with respect to the optical fluid is lower than a coherence of the outer membrane with respect to the optical fluid.

2. The fluidic lens of claim 1, wherein the optical fluid includes DiMethyl Siloxane (DMS) oil or DiMethyl based silicon oil having a methyl group content of about 80% among organic groups attached to siloxane chains.

3. The fluidic lens of claim 1, wherein the inner membrane prevents the outer membrane from being wrinkled due to the optical fluid.

4. The fluidic lens of claim 1, wherein the inner membrane comprises a Poly Methyl Phenyl Siloxane (PMPS) elastomer or a Poly Methyl Vinyl Siloxane (PMVS) elastomer.

5. The fluidic lens of claim 4, wherein the PMPS elastomer contains a Phenyl group of 20% or above, and the PMVS elastomer contains a Vinyl group of 20% or above.

6. The fluidic lens of claim 1, wherein the inner membrane comprises a fluoro-silicon elastomer.

7. The fluidic lens of claim 1, wherein the optical fluid comprises silicon oil having a viscosity of about 100 cP to 2000 cP.

8. The fluidic lens of claim 1, wherein the optical fluid comprises silicon oil comprising molecules each having a degree of polymerization of about 50 or above.

9. The fluidic lens of claim 1, wherein the inner membrane and the outer membrane each have a thickness of about 10 μ

m to 100 μ

m.

21. The fluidic lens of claim 1, wherein the fluidic lens comprises:

a lens portion and a driving portion, and

an actuator, disposed in the driving portion, which drives a movement of the optical fluid.

22. The fluidic lens of claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate, a spacer frame, and a fixing frame;

wherein the membrane is disposed between the spacer frame and the fixing frame and the optical fluid is disposed between the membrane and the substrate.

23. The fluidic lens of claim 22, further comprising:

a lens portion and a driving portion, and

an actuator disposed on the membrane in the driving portion, which drives a movement of the optical fluid.

10. A fluidic lens comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a spacer frame which is disposed on the transparent substrate;

a double film structure membrane which is attached to the spacer frame;

a transparent optic fluid disposed within an inner space defined by the spacer frame between the transparent substrate and the membrane;

wherein the inner space comprises a lens portion and a driving portion;

an actuator, disposed on a portion of the membrane corresponding to the driving portion; and

a fixing frame which is disposed on the actuator.

11. The fluidic lens of claim 10, wherein the lens portion is disposed at a central portion of the inner space and the driving portion surrounds the lens portion.

12. The fluidic lens of claim 10, wherein the spacer frame comprises partitions which partition an upper portion of the inner space into the driving portion and the lens portion, whereby a lower portion of the inner space is not partitioned.

13. The fluidic lens of claim 10, wherein the membrane comprises an inner membrane, comprising a transparent elastomer, and an outer membrane, comprising a Poly DiMethyl Siloxane (PDMS) elastomer, wherein a coherence of the inner membrane with respect to the optical fluid is lower than a coherence of the outer membrane with respect to the optical fluid.

14. The fluidic lens of claim 13, wherein the optical fluid comprises DiMethyl Siloxane oil or DiMethyl based silicon oil comprising a methyl group.

15. The fluidic lens of claim 13, wherein the inner membrane comprises a Poly Methyl Phenyl Siloxane (PMPS) elastomer or a Poly Methyl Vinyl Siloxane (PMVS) elastomer.

16. The fluidic lens of claim 15, wherein the PMPS elastomer comprises a Phenyl group of a 20% or above, and the PMVS elastomer comprises a Vinyl group of 20% or above.

17. A method of manufacturing fluidic lens, the method comprising:

forming a first membrane, comprising a Poly DiMethyl Siloxane (PDMS) elastomer on a first subsidiary substrate and forming a second membrane, comprising a transparent elastomer, on a second subsidiary substrate;

performing an oxygen plasma treatment on exposed surfaces of the first membrane and the second membrane;

attaching the exposed surface of the first membrane to the exposed surface of the second membrane;

removing the second subsidiary substrate from the second membrane;

attaching a spacer frame, which defines an inner space, on a surface of the second membrane exposed by removing the second subsidiary substrate;

injecting an optical fluid into the inner space and attaching a transparent substrate on an exposed surface of the spacer frame; and

removing the first subsidiary substrate from the first membrane;

wherein a coherence of the second membrane with respect to the optical fluid is lower than a coherence of the first membrane with respect to the optical fluid.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the oxygen plasma treatment is performed at a power of 50 W or below for about 30 sec or more.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising, subsequent for forming the first membrane, performing a thermal treatment of the PDMS elastomer at a temperature of about 110°

C. for about one hour.

19. A fluidic lens comprising:

an optical fluid comprising transparent silicon oil which has a degree of polymerization of about 50 or above at a viscosity of 1000 cP or below; and

a first membrane comprising a Poly DiMethyl Siloxane (PDMS) elastomer.

20. The fluidic lens of claim 19, further comprising a second membrane, which comprises a Poly Methyl Phenyl Siloxane (PMPS) elastomer and is formed on an inner surface of the first membrane,

wherein the silicon oil comprises DiMethyl Siloxane oil.